City Council discussing challenge of chronic homelessness in Houston
HOUSTON - Mayor John Whitmire and Houston City Council have begun seeking the productive middle ground between delivering a compassionate helping hand to those challenged with homelessness and reducing, what many view, a growing threat to public safety posed by the "un-housed."
At Wednesday's meeting, Whitmire addressed the issue of designated "civility zones".
"What impact does designating an area as a civility zone have? In my world, all of Houston ought to be designated a civility zone," said Whitmire.
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"The goal is education and deterrence. Get them help. Get them out of that situation and enforcement is our last option and it's always been our last option," said Sergeant Sonny Nguyen, regarding HPD's current enforcement policy.
A "civility zone" is defined as a space where people cannot sit, sleep, or store personal belongings on the sidewalk during daylight hours.
In the neighborhood of Riverside Terrace, residents are seeking any legal or statutory tool to lessen an incursion viewed as a threat to public safety and quality of life.
"There are drug-addicted individuals. There are meth heads laid out on the sidewalk," said Sharon Evans Brooks with the Riverside Civic Association.
"We are concerned about the increasing crime such as theft, violence and you know when you observe someone publicly using the bathroom, it is just devastating and when you are at a red light and they are knocking on your door and you are a female, you are afraid," said Phyllis Moss, a neighborhood resident.
Frustrated by the large number of homeless Houstonians loitering and often bathing within the City's main public library, Mayor Whitmire is seeking lasting solutions.
"You can go within walking distance of here and you've got meth users and other people passed out right this minute," said Whitmire.
Homeless advocate Rev. Bradley Sullivan, pastor of Lord of the Streets Episcopal Church, is urging City leaders to temper their policies with compassion.
"About 47 percent of the people in greater Houston are asset limited, financially constrained and are vulnerable and at any time in their lives, are a couple of days or a couple of weeks from being homeless," said Sullivan.